This invention relates to a method and apparatus for casting tubular bodies of concrete or other fluent solidifiable materials. The invention may be used for producing a wide variety of tubular products, although it was developed primarily for manufacturing concrete piles such as those used for monopile oil wells in Lake Maricaibo, Venezuela.
The prior art is replete with forms for casting concrete products. Examples may be found in the following U.S. patents which were located during a preliminary patentability search: Nos. 1,047,102; 1,118,558; 2,315,634; 3,074,140 and, 4,153,232. It is specifically noted that U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,140 to Balcomb et al. discloses an internal mold member which includes flexible strips which buckle inwardly when the mold is collapsed. The Burchett U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,232 shows a mold in which an internal form is collapsed by reaction forces created by bearing outwardly against the cast product.
A particular objective of the present invention is to provide an appropriate alternative process and apparatus to the centrifugal casting methods used heretofore for producing concrete piles. This objective has been realized by the invention disclosed herein which is capable of producing these and other products in a less complicated and less expensive manner.